In 2010 Oxford had 11.5% of its intake coming from working-class families. Cambridge had 12.6%. The figures have barely changed since.

So no, not everyone, but a significant majority come from the privileged classes.

I'm with Sev on this one.

How are those class war figures arrived at?it seems that for example about 45 percent of last years Oxford intake came from public/private schools. 35 percent from comps etc. how does one define working class in that context . And yes I'm with Sevy too on this

In 2010 Oxford had 11.5% of its intake coming from working-class families. Cambridge had 12.6%. The figures have barely changed since.

So no, not everyone, but a significant majority come from the privileged classes.

I'm with Sev on this one.

At Oxford there's a huge gulf between the Eton educated wan kers who find their fun burning £20 notes in front of homeless people and everybody else.

I was in the 11.5%, as were some of my friends including my wife, so I know a little about this. I'm sorry to tell you that the majority of undergrads at Oxford are the children of rather boring parents. Doctors, provincial solicitors and the like. Good people, certainly not "working class", but hardly "upper class" and I think "privileged" is stretching it a bit.

If Oxford is anything it is middle class to it's boots.

And believe me, being in that 11.5% gives you a deep and lasting insight into the class structure of British society.

In 2010 Oxford had 11.5% of its intake coming from working-class families. Cambridge had 12.6%. The figures have barely changed since.

So no, not everyone, but a significant majority come from the privileged classes.

I'm with Sev on this one.

To further disappoint you, not once in the four years I spent at Oxford did anybody connected to the University make any reference whatsoever to my belonging to the 11.5% in a good or bad fashion. I genuinely think that noone cared about my background. The only people who ever did mention it were the odd Bullingdon type, who I tended to regard with condescension anyway. No love lost there.

In my opinion, the biggest barrier to working class people going to Oxford is the simple reluctance of working class people to apply. I had a number of friends who easily were bright enough to go, but didn't bother applying because they thought it wasn't for them. Their choice, and their loss I feel. That's a tough nut to crack I think.

There are two things to think about when applying to Oxford. The college and the subject.

Some subjects, like English, attract huge numbers of applicants. The ratio of applicants to places can be 100+. Others, like Chemistry, can be 5-6 applicants per place. I read Chemistry, completely unwittingly.

Some colleges, like Lady Margaret Hall, are undersubscribed and it is easier to get in there. Others, like Balliol, Christ Church or St Johns have many more applicants. Again, completely unwittingly, I applied to St Johns.

There's a game you have to play to maximise your chances if you really want to get into Oxford. Being working class, I didn't play it - I just turned up and talked my way in.

I think that working class kids don't apply to Oxford enough, and they don't apply smartly enough.

To further disappoint you, not once in the four years I spent at Oxford did anybody connected to the University make any reference whatsoever to my belonging to the 11.5% in a good or bad fashion. I genuinely think that noone cared about my background. The only people who ever did mention it were the odd Bullingdon type, who I tended to regard with condescension anyway. No love lost there.

I got to know some students when I was there in the 70's, and had a friend who, after his normal work, worked an evening shift in a college kitchen. I went along once to a college disco and we were treated like pondlife.

I was in lodgings with a lad who was doing a postgrad law qualification (I now occasionally see his name in the papers as a barrister). This lad was from a middle class background and had been to Oxford as an undergraduate. He said that it wasn't active condescension from public schoolboy students that was the problem, it was the cost of the extra-curricular social life that couldn't be met rom a grant.

On a similar theme, again in the 1970's, I had a friend whose brother did a degree and then joined the RAF to train as a flying crew officer. The training costs were so much that, after three years, he had to walk away or sign on for 22 years. He left because the social lifestyle couldn't be met by his salary.

Back to the thread - yes. Great for the people doing it, dull for anyone watching.

What puzzles me is how the public schools and Oxbridge took over a sport that was originated by Thames watermen. The other thing is why the fascination with a race between these two particular universities? Same wtih the "Varsity " Union game - which apparently subsides much Oxbridge sport. The other thing that bugs me is why is Oxbridge cricket considered "First Class" when all other University cricket isn't - and why do the counties still play fixtures against Oxbridge.

"This is a very wealthy country, money is no object" D. Cameron February 2014

What puzzles me is how the public schools and Oxbridge took over a sport that was originated by Thames watermen.

The regulation of and codifying of a lot of sports came from public and grammar schools and universities............... The people from those backgrounds had the influence and the time.

You can see rowing clubs and races taking place in various places around the British Isles on the sea and inland. Lots of the clubs are quite mixed socially. The nearest one to me is at Hollingworth Lake and is hardly public school etc. I've taken part in rowing races in Ireland on the sea-absolutely knackering. Give me a lake, or a river anytime.

Rowing now has a programme to recruit people of suitable physical attributes who may have never rowed with the aim of strengthening and deepening the national squad. A bit like the old Communist government approach......

[/size]I got to know some students when I was there in the 70's, and had a friend who, after his normal work, worked an evening shift in a college kitchen. I went along once to a college disco and we were treated like pondlife.

I was in lodgings with a lad who was doing a postgrad law qualification (I now occasionally see his name in the papers as a barrister). This lad was from a middle class background and had been to Oxford as an undergraduate. He said that it wasn't active condescension from public schoolboy students that was the problem, it was the cost of the extra-curricular social life that couldn't be met rom a grant.

I can tell you that picture bears no resemblance to the life I lived at Oxford in the mid 90s.

Of course, there were extra-curricular things that I couldn't afford to do. I got around that by not doing them and doing something else instead. It was fine.

I can't actually remember an ex-public schoolboy treating me with condescension and if they had I would have told them where to stick it. You'll find idiots everywhere.

[/size]I got to know some students when I was there in the 70's, and had a friend who, after his normal work, worked an evening shift in a college kitchen. I went along once to a college disco and we were treated like pondlife.

One of the girls who worked in the college kitchen came to a college disco (known, excruciatingly, as a "bop") once. She had no shortage of admirers and copped off with one of my mates. I have no recollection of anyone treating her like pondlife, and if anyone had they'd have been considered to be the ones at fault.

Sorry to disappoint all of you, but with the exception of literally no more than three or four people (who, interestingly were all heavily involved in OUCA) St Johns, Oxford in my day was a very egalitarian, open, friendly and welcoming place. I had no problems whatsoever coming from a working class background, had an absolute ball for four years, and made many lifelong friends.

I am happy to tell you of how disappointed I was by the poor quality of teaching and the surprisingly dismal academic side of life at Oxford if you like. That's a whole different thing.

One of the girls who worked in the college kitchen came to a college disco (known, excruciatingly, as a "bop") once. She had no shortage of admirers and copped off with one of my mates. I have no recollection of anyone treating her like pondlife, and if anyone had they'd have been considered to be the ones at fault.

Yes, that was the problem at the disco I went to. There were very few (none?) girl students at the college and they relied on townie non-students girls attending for free. The male students were scared that any of the girls would prefer to get off with one of our number in preference to them.

Hence, we were always last to get served at the bar, and never with a smile. What chance did my mate and his brother have of kicking off about it; they'd have lost their part-time jobs.

I am one of those who say I couldnt care less,but I always watch it all if its on when i'm in .I always want the team thats not the favoured one

but you and I weve been through that and this is not our fate.
So let us so let us not talk falsely now.
The hour is getting late
FROM 2004,TO DO WHAT THIS CLUB HAS DONE,IF THATS NOT GREATNESSTHEN i DONT KNOW WHAT IS.